Universal elliptical-spring former.



J. W.- RILEY.

UNIVERSAL ELLIPTICAL SPRING FORMER.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.II, IsIs.

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ms NORRIS PETERS c J. W. RILEY.

UNIVERSAL ELLIPTICAL SPRING FORMER.

APPLICATION HLED'AUG-Ll. 'i9l5- Patented July 16, 1918.

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UNIVERSAL ELLIPTICAL SPRING FORMER.

APPLICATION man AUG. 11. 19:5.

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JOHN w. RILEY, or WAVERLY, NEW YORK.

UNIVERSAL ELLIPTICAL-SPRING FORMER.

Application filed. August 11, 1915. Serial No. 45,009.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN WV. RILEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of WVaverly, in the county of 'Tioga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Universal Elliptical-Spring Formers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. 7

This invention relates to a novel universal elliptical spring formingmachine designed V to separately form springleaves of different radii, depending upon the leaf forming templets which are backed by one-of the forming elements of the machine, the heated spring leaves being formed over said fem plet by a compound conformable die composing the other element .of the forming machine, and against which the heated springleaf is pressed by the templet bacl ing element of the machine.

Among the objects ofthe invention is to provide a machine of this character in which spring leaves of difierent radii and different lengths may be formed by the cooperation of a suitably backed movable templet and a compound die which conforms itself to the templet over which the leaves are'fornied and wherein a formed and set spring leaf may constitute a templet for a succeeding shorter leaf.

Another object of the invention to provide an exceedingly simple mechanism for forming spring leaves which requires a minimum adjustment to adapt themachine for forming leaves of varying radii and lengths. P

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring formingmachine ,of'this character having a novel compound die, the sections of which are placed under the influence of separately actuable resistance elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character with a supplemental resistance element for the compound die sections adapted to be brought.

into action near the rearward throw of the sections to supplement the main'resistance elements.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a spring forming machine of this Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July character having a reciprocating templet backing die or plunger provided with simple means for adjusting it to templets of different radii. r Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanism for imparting to the forming leaf the desired snap or life by the same stroke of the forming mechanism. 1 d

Other objects of the invention are to simplify and'improve machines of this charac ter, and the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of the parts hereinafter described in the specificationand set out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a' universal elliptical spring'forming machine embodying my invention. a

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of'said-machine, showingthe parts in the positions which they assume informing a spring leaf.

Fig."5 is an assembly ofa plurality of spring leaves.

The frame of the machine consists of a horizontal table 10 which is supported on legs or standards 11, 11 that may be secured in anysuitable manner to the floor. 12 des ignates a platform which extends forwardly from the table and isattached thereto by bolts 14L and is sustained at its forward end by a leg or standard -The-said platform 12 is designed to support a motor 16 which gives movement to one of the elements of the forming machine. Said motor, as herein shown, consists of a hydraulic cylinderhav ing a piston rod 17 which isconnected'to the piston thereof,- and said piston is controlled by'a valve device 18 of a familiar form, under the operation of a hand lever 19.

20 designates, as a whole, a compound, conformable die which is supported on the table 10, and 21 designates as a whole, a follower head or plunger which is fixed rigidly to the piston rod 17 of the motor;

be provided with a notch 23 to receive a central teat a'of the spring leaf A to be formed to thereby hold the leaf from end wise displacement during the forming operation.

The nested die sections are confined on the table by side bars 24, 24 which are bolted or otherwise secured to the table and up per down-holding bars 25, 26 which extend across the bars 24 and are bolted or otherwise secured thereto. The die elements, thus nested, are capable of longitudinal movement relatively to each other.

The said die sections 22 are normally held or projected at the forward limits of their movement, and preferably with their leaf engaging faces in line with each other, as best shown in Fig. 1, by yielding resistance elements which severally engage the die sections. The resistance elements, as herein shown, consist of weighted levers 28, 28 which are pivoted at their upper ends to a shaft 29 that extends transversely across the rear of the machine and is fixed in bearings formed in rearwardly and downwardly depending portions 30 of the side plates 24 of the machine. are formed at their upper ends with forwardly directed noses 33 which engage the rear grooved ends 3 1 of the die sections. As herein shown the said levers are made longer than the supporting legs or standards 11 of the machine, and the floor or other support for the machine maybe provided with a depression or well into which the Weighted ends of the levers extend. The said levers 28 are provided around their pivot apertures with bosses which space the levers from each other so as to insure a free movement of the levers relatively to each other.

Any suitable means may be applied, either to the die sections or to said levers, to limit the forward movement of the die sections under the action of the weighted :levers or resistance elements. As herein shown, the forward movement of the die sections is limited by stop means consisting of a stop member 36 which extends transversely across and in rear of and engages the lower ends of said levers.

The plunger head 21 is provided with templet backing blocks 38, 39, 39, the block 38 being fixed to the central portion of the plunger head 21 and the blocks 39, 39 being connected to said head so to be movabletoward and away from the central templet backing block. As herein shown, the said end backing blocks are supported on the table 10 and are connected to the head 21 by means of hooked bolts 40 which extend forwardly therefrom beneath the head, with the hooked ends thereof engaging under the edge of said head. WVhen the head is moved rearwardly toward the compound die, the

The said weighted levers said templet backing blocks are shifted rear wardly thereby over the table toward the compound die, as shown in Fig. 1, and when the head is retracted the hooked bolts serve to draw the backing members or blocks forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1.

The said central and end backing blocks or members are designed to give a three point support or backing to the templet 415 which is supported on the table and is adapted to slide thereon, and which constitutes a form about which the spring leaf A, shown in Fig. 1, is adapted to be curved or formed when moved by said head against the leaf forming end faces of the sections of the compound die. The said end templet backing blocks are adapted to leaf templets of different lengths by reason of the provisions arranged to adjust them toward and from the central templet backing block 38.

In the operation of forming a spring leaf, the templet, which may be a standard templet, or which may consist of a spring leaf, already formed and set, is placed on the table against the backing blocks 39, 38 of the plunger head 21, and the straight spring leaf bar A, heated to the proper temperature, is placed on the table against the central bowed portion of the templet in the manner shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter the plunger head 21 is moved rearwardly through the action of the motor 16, thereby moving the templet and heated spring leaf against the forming end faces of the compound die sections. By reason of the relative freedom of movement of the said compound die sections, and of the factthat each of the die sections is independently backed by a separate resistance element, as the weighted levers 28, thesaid compound die sections conform themselves at their forward ends to the curve of the templet, and serve to curve or form thespring leaf A, over the templet; the central die section first moving rearwardly by reason of the direct thrust of the central portion of the templet through the heated leaf bar A and the die sections at the sides thereof grad; ually moving backwardly as the curved portions of the templet exert thrusts thereon through the forming leaf spring. The thrust of the plunger 21 is resisted by the weighted levers, or other resistance elements, which act separately against the die sections, and the levers may be made of such weight, or other resistance elements employed of such strength, that the spring leaf is conformed to the templet without exhausting the resistance due to the said resistance elements.

In the event that the machine is called upon to form spring leaves of heavier gage than the resistance elements are well adapted to meet, I may provide supplemental resistance element which is brought into action at or near the final rearward movement of the plunger 21 and the templet, arranged to act on the ends of the forming leaf to press said ends down over the templet with such force as to form or lay the ends of the leaf accurately over the templet.

Such a supplemental resistance element is herein shown as consisting of a bowed spring 47 (Figs. 1 and 4) which is supported on the upper faces of the compound die sections and is disposed transversely thereof. The central bowed portion of the said supplemental spring is adapted to bear against the forward face of the rear downholding bar 25 and the ends of the spring extend across the endinost die sections of the nested series. The said die sect-ions are provided in their upper faces with holes 49 adapted severally to receive pins 50, 50 which, when the supplemental resistance element is brought into action, bear against the supplement spring i7 near the ends thereof. The said .pins are adapted to be seated in the holes of those sections of the compound conformable die which bear upon the ends of the spring leaf being formed, with the result that added pressure is exerted on the ends of the spring leaf to conform the same closely against the templet.

After the spring leaf has been thus formed it is tempered, and a spring which is made up of a number of such leaves may be assembled and clamped together on the exten-' sion of the table to the right hand side of the series of die sections.

In forming a spring, the master leaf thereof may be formed over or upon a stock or standard templet of a length and radius to correspond with said master leaf. Thereafter the master leaf may be employed itself as a templet to form the next leaf, and. so on through the series of leaves 'of which the spring is to be made up. It will thus be seen that a spring made up of a number of leaves, may be formed with the use of a single stock templet by which to form the master leaf.

It will be further obvious that no' special adjustment is required to form 'leavesof different radii, the conformable resistance controlled, separately slidable die sections readily conforming themselves to the templet, between which and said die sections the spring leaf is formed. It is only neces sary to adjust the templet backing block 39 inwardly and outwardly to correspond to the length of the leaves to be formed.

Moreover, the adjustment of the blocks 39, either by themselves or in connection with the supplemental spring 47 and pins 50 imparts to the hot forming leaf the desired snap or life, as will be seen from an inspection of the assembled leaves shown in Fig. 5. What is commonly known as the snap or life of the spring consists in leaving a slight space between the bowed centers of the leaves, as shown in, said Fig. 5. 7

p In the raetieareperatian of the spring forming machine itiis 'eonvenientto work a given number-Or sprin s of the same dimensiens through a; the same time, and the work may be handledqa's follows i-The master leaves of the entire m'nnber or set of springs are first separately formed-over the stock templet and are then tempered. Thereafter the second'leaves of the set are formed on the master leaves, each master leaf serving as a templet for the second spring with which it is to be associated in a complete spring, after which said second set of leaves are tempered. After the second set of leaves are tempered, said leaves are separately placed on the extension of the table and fitted to the leaves over which they were formed and, if found to fit, the master leaves, are placed 'onthe ia'cl'r-aiid theleavjes of the third set separately formed over the leaves of the second set and tempered, these steps being continued until all the leaves are formed and tempered. Thereafter the leaves to form each s ring are; assembled and banded.

In lieu of-the templet backing blocks-88, 39 of the plunger head, the-flat faced head may itself insome instancesback a templet or form having a curved faceover which the spring leaves are formed.

The motor 16 for giving movement to the templet backing plunger may be an air inotor, a hydraulic mot-or or an electric motor,

I or said plunger may be indirectly driven from a motor through suitable gear or be'lt connections.

It will be understood that the structi r'al details ofthe machine shown and described are capable of some variatioii'within the spirit and scope of the invention, aiid that the invention is not limited to; such details except as the same are hereinafter made the subject of specific claims, and further that it is the intent to, claim all of inherent novelty shown in the drawings and described in the specification.

I claim as my invention 1. An elliptical spring forming machine comprising a table, a compound conform-V able die comprising nested, relatively slidable die sections supported on the table, a shaft in rear and below the level of the plane of said die sections, weighted levers pivoted to said shaft and having above the shaft portions to separately engage the rear ends of said die sections and inclined downwardly and forwardly from said shaft and a templet backing plunger movable toward and from the leaf forming faces of said die sections.

2. An elliptical spring forming machine comprising a table, compound conformable die sections supported thereon, a transverse shaft in rear and below the level of the plane of said die sections, weighted levers pivoted to said shaft and having portions to separately engage the rear ends of the die sections, a templet backing plunger movable toward and from said die and means to limit the forward movement of said die sections constructed to arrest the spring-forming faces of the die sections to occupy a straight line. I

8. An elliptical spring forming machine comprising a table, a compound conformable die comprising nested, relatively slidable die sections supported on the table, resistance elements to separately engage the die sections, a templet backing plunger movable toward and from the leaf forming ends of the die sections, and a supplemental spring lying over and extending transversely across said die sections and bearing between its ends against the machine frame, with means to detachably apply the said supplemental spring at its ends to different corresponding die sections at the sides of the die.

4. An elliptical spring-forming machine comprising a table, a compound comformable die comprising nested, relatively slidable die sections supported on the table, resistance elements to separately engage the die sections, a templet backing plunger movable toward and from the leaf forming faces of the die sections, and provided with end templet backing members adjustable toward and from each other, and a supplemental spring bearing against the machine frame with means to bring the same' into interchangeable cooperative relation to two or more die sections. 7

5. An elliptical spring forming machine comprising a table, a compound conformable die composed of relatively slidable die sections arranged side by side on the table, frame members to confine the sections,

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the yielding resistance elements severally applied to said sections to hold them in their forward positions, a templet backing plnn ger supported on the table-and movable to- 'ard and from the leaf forming ends of the die sections, a bowed spring lying transversely across said die sections and adapted to bear against the frame, and projections adapted to be interchangeably fitted to the die sections to bear against the bowed spring near the ends thereof whereby the latter constitutes a supplemental resistance element to the main resistance element.

6. An elliptical spring forming machine comprising a conformable compound die composed of a plurality of nested, relatively slidable sections separately backed by independently acting resistance elements, a templet backing plunger movable toward and from leaf forming faces of the die sections and a single supplemental resistance element adapted to interchangeably act upon corresponding pairs of die sections.

7. An elliptical spring forming machine comprising a conformable compound die composed of a plurality of nested, relatively slidable sections separately backed by independently acting resistance elements, a templet backing plunger movable toward and from leaf forming faces of the die sections and a single supplemental resistance ele ment adapted to interchangeably act upon corresponding pairs of die sections, constructed to be brought into action only after the die sections have been initially urged against the main resistance elements.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 2nd day of August, A. D. 1915.

JOHN w. RILEY.

/Vitnesses ADELAIDE HnMsTnnET, EDGAR D. SEEKING.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

